County Off To Winning Start In Trevor Clifton Trophy

Nottinghamshire clubs began their respective, Trevor Clifton Trophy campaigns, on Sunday afternoon, with Adam Dunleavey’s Notts County Women seeing off the challenge of visitors, Rise Park Ladies, with an eventually comfortable, 5-2 victory.

Two goals inside the opening ten minutes, one apiece, made for an exciting contest, County not taking long in asserting their dominance, and putting their first three points on the board, but they were made to fight for it.

Falling behind after just three minutes, Elle Rowson levelled proceedings with a screamer from distance, and with just seven minutes on the clock, and, although the chances came, and went, the visitors would restore their lead, from the spot, five minutes before the interval, affording Rise Park a half-time lead.

After the break though, it would be one-way traffic, and Nya Chambers having a big say in the matter; within two minutes of the restart, substitute Chambers finished off a surging run from Mollie Crump to equalise and, just eight minutes later, County were ahead, Mel East was first to a spilled save from an Ellie Crump shot before, and with twenty to go, Chambers was seen to add her second of the afternoon, again from close range, after Ellie Dowson had scuffed her shot.

Inside the final ten minutes, and with County working well up front, Chambers wrapped up victory with a fine solo effort for her hat-trick, using some deft footwork to beat the opposing defender and finishing high into the net.

In the other Group B match, Derby County Women Academy were seen to beat Loughborough Student Women, 2-1, whilst in Group A, County’s Development side were held to a goalless draw away to Sherwood Women.

Andi Bell’s Mansfield Town Ladies began their Group A campaign with a comfortable, 4-0 home win over visiting Arnold Eagles, goals flowing via Ellie Marshall, Monica Bowley, Shannon Purdy and Natasha Leech; whilst in Group D, St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop Women endured a torrid start when losing 6-0 at home to Rotherham United Women.

Stand-out results elsewhere in the Trophy would see a nine-goal thriller take place at Leicester City, they losing 5-4 to Leicester Girls & Ladies; Lincoln United won 8-0 at home to Lincoln Moorlands-Railway, and Northampton Town romped to a 9-1 win on the road at Oadby & Wigston Women.

This upcoming Sunday, 25 April, the sides go again, Group A leaders Mansfield Town Ladies travelling to Sherwood Women, and Notts County Development entertain Arnold Eagles Ladies; in Group B Notts County Women make the trip to Loughborough Students Women whilst Rise Park Ladies face a home tie with Derby County Academy Women; and in Group D, SJR Worksop Women look to kick-start their campaign when they visit Oughtibridge War Memorial Women.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NCFC_Women Notts County Women boss Adam Dunleavy was happy this weekend.

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